Library · Crypto, word by word · Chains and scaling
What is sharding?
Sharding is splitting a blockchain's workload into parts so the network can handle more activity without every node processing everything. Ethereum dropped its original plan for separate shard chains; its current approach, danksharding, adds temporary data space called blobs that rollups use to post their data cheaply.
What it means for you
On Ethereum, the benefit of sharding reaches users through layer 2 rollups: blobs lower what rollups pay to post data, which can lower rollup fees. Blob data is deleted after about 18 days, so blobs are not a permanent record of anyone's transactions.
How it works
Ethereum's original plan split the chain into separate shard chains. It was abandoned for danksharding, which adds data space instead of extra execution chains. The first step, EIP-4844 (proto-danksharding), went live in March 2024: blocks can carry blobs, data that rollups post cheaply and that is deleted after 4096 epochs, about 18 days. KZG commitments let nodes verify blob contents. Full danksharding aims to raise the number of blobs per block much further, using data availability sampling so no single node has to download all the data.
Source: ethereum.org: Danksharding · checked 4 October 2026
Related words
Educational content, not financial advice. Written by hand and checked against the source named above. Something wrong? Tell us and we reply within two business days.